


The King

by Gemi



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Ezran and Callum and Harrow are symbiotes, M/M, Symbiotic Relationship, Venom AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 17:27:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17666921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemi/pseuds/Gemi
Summary: Long ago, humans choose to worship the symbiotes rather than the dragons.Xadia never quite forgave them for that.





	The King

The prisoner falls to the floor, face gone.  
  
There is blood, of course. But that is why they dine in the dungeons; it would not _do_ to make the throne room resemble a slaughterhouse. It would not be proper.  
  
The King recedes as blood spreads across the stones, until Harrow is draped lazily across the mage’s shoulders not unlike a cape. Viren straightens the collar of his robes and swallow back the strange taste that always happens, after Harrow- after _they_ -eat.  
  
“Clean that up,” he tells the servant standing by, and as always there is a quick nod before more pile in to remove the corpse, to clean out the dungeon cell until next time they need to use it.  
  
Katolis was never without prisoners for long.  
  
Harrow purrs. Moves, ripples, until Viren strokes the black tendrils as the symbiote clearly wants them to be. Traces the green tracks the symbiote wears, one of few things that let humans tell them all apart.  
  
Not that there are _many_ symbiotes to keep track of. They are all Rulers or so high up in the ranks they may very well _become_ a ruler one day. It is easy, then, to see who is who by that alone. But Viren is fond of the green tendrils, of the warm, heavy feeling constantly at the back of his head.  
  
_“Visit the children,”_ Harrow says, wrapping part of himself around Viren’s hand like a glow, claws and all which usually only comes out when they become _King_. __“I miss them.”  
  
“You saw your children last night,” Viren replies, only to frown when Harrow moves onto the other hand, the one holding the staff. Black tendrils wrap lovingly around the silver of it, and Viren sighs. “Don’t touch that, you will suck the energy from it,” he scolds, and there is the distinct sensation of laughter in the back of his head.  
  
“I want to see _our_ children. All of them,” Harrow insists, showing off his fangs in a too big smile as he speaks aloud rather than within Viren, “It is important, and there are no important meetings for hours.”  
  
Running footsteps echoes through the dungeons. Viren raises one brow.  
  
“Are you certain, your Majesty?” he wryly asks as a soldier comes to a panting, running stop before them. Harrow stretches out far enough to shape a proper head; he cocks it, and they both peer down at the soldier still trying to catch his breath.  
  
“Moon elves,” the man finally gasps out, “in- in the forest.”  
  
Viren and Harrow blink as one.  
  
_“More food_ ,” Harrow chuckles within, __“Ezran and Callum have never had elf.”  
  
“It is full moon tonight,” he replies, “the food is too difficult for such things.” Viren pokes the soldier’s shoulder with the staff, “give us details. Where __exactly did you see them?”  
  
The answer is too close to be comfortable.

 

-

 

Symbiotes were perhaps not the original reason why humans were pushed out of Xadia, but it has certainly become a point of contention between dragons, elves and humans.  
  
It is understandable. Elves despise dark magic, and dark magic was invented to cater to a symbiote’s needs. Dragons adore elves, elves adore dragons. Neither liked humans. It is a circle, although a boring one, where the elves and dragons pick out a flaw of humanity and declare it a plague. A mistake. Something to purge.  
  
If humans had picked the elves and dragons over the symbiotes, perhaps they would still be in Xadia, despite the dark magic.  
  
But they had not.  
  
Which left Viren in the _highly_ sought after position of being a Ruler’s Host.  
  
He is not blind, of course. A symbiote is not like a god, which he had been taught when he was little more than a gutter rat on the streets. A symbiote was much like a human, with its own flaws and strange quirks. But a symbiote was far more _powerful_ than a human, with an appetite for things the elves and dragons had been horrified by.  
  
Humans are creative. Humans can always find a way, and feeding robbers, rapists and murderers to their beloved symbiotes is a very _logical_ thing to do. Take away the bad, feed the good. Be protected, loved and ruled over.  
  
It’s part of a circle. A far better circle than that which the elves and dragons insists on.  
  
He reminds himself of this as Harrow practically vibrates inside him, deep within where all symbiotes likes to hide away when they can’t be bothered to talk. Harrow can see what Viren sees, so it is easy to figure out what has him excited.  
  
Soren is doing nothing remarkable. He is merely sitting on a bench in the courtyard, eating a late breakfast with one hand. His other arm is covered by Callum’s colors, all black and blue and lightning white cracks. The part that Callum is _clearly_ controlling is drawing on a piece of parchment.  
  
They should practice combat scenarios. More so now, when Viren and Harrow _knows_ assassins are on the way. But they have yet to be told of the danger, yet to be sent away.  
  
“And when shall we tell them?” he asks. Harrow _rises_ from within, wraps himself around Viren’s neck like a scarf.  
  
“Soon,” Harrow says, slithering up higher until Viren can feel him rest his chin against the top of his head. “Let them have fun, Viren.”  
  
“I still believe we should let them stay. Send only Ezran away. _Prince_ can be useful. You _have_ seen them practice.”  
  
“If it was normal humans coming to murder me, certainly. Callum has yet to feed during a battle. But these are no mere _humans_ , Viren.”  
  
Viren sighs, but he can’t deny _that_. A symbiote may be near impossible for humans to kill, but elves have made it easier and easier for themselves. Prince, while strong for its youth, is still _young_. Soren and Callum are a young match in itself, and their combined force only took on the name Prince a mere few days ago.  
  
It may have been because of Viren. There is no shame in that, of course; Harrow certainly took pride in the name, and it may finally push Callum into calling their King _dad_.  
  
A silly sentiment, but important to Harrow for reasons Viren was hard pressed to understand.  
  
“Elves may have it slightly easier, trying to kill us,” Viren says and turns away from the scene below, ignoring how Harrow stretched up and out to keep the boys in his sight for as long as possible, “but only _slightly_. Soren is a skilled soldier. With Callum, with _us_ , I am certain fewer lives will be lost.”  
  
Harrow sinks back in. For a moment, all was silent except for the clicking sounds of the staff hitting the floor with every step. Every servant they pass gives hurried bows.  
Viren feels smug pride. Harrow curls around the feeling and thinks.  
  
_“I don’t want_ any _of our children to be hurt. Or killed,”_ Harrow murmurs.  
  
“Soren is a warrior. He would be quite upset if you tried to hold him from battle,” Viren reminds him, turns the corner and only barely avoids walking into his daughter.  
  
She hasn’t noticed. Indeed, she likely never would, if Harrow was not so quick to reach out and take hold of her shoulder, effectively stopping her in her tracks. Makes her actually look up from her books, and she giggle-snorts.  
  
“Dad! Uh, and majesty,” she adds on, and the adoration Harrow pushes at Viren is _almost_ too much. Only almost. Viren smiles, a little one.  
  
“Claudia,” he says, “tell Soren and Callum we wish to speak with them. Make sure you attend as well.”  
  
“Uhh, of course!” She pauses, glancing down at the book in her hands, “Right now?” she asks, and Harrow huffs in amusement.  
  
“Yes, child,” Harrow says, reaches out to ruffle her hair, just a bit, and Viren holds back a sigh as it makes Claudia giggle before trying to pat down her hair. While holding her book. While _using_ the book to try and tidy up, despite having one free hand just hanging by her side. “The only one who shall not attend is Ezran,” Harrow adds, his amusement simmering deep within Viren.  
  
“Soren and Callum are down in the courtyard. Don’t get distracted,” Viren finishes, and Claudia nods, dutifully keeping the book closed as she turns and half-jogs down the hall. She almost trips when she makes to turn down the stairs, but there are no sounds of a body tumbling down, or screaming about broken limbs, so Viren will trust that she did not fall.  
  
Harrow rumbles with laughter, like thunder above the clouds, and Viren sighs.

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this when Venom first came out in theaters- but I never really built up the energy to put it up here.  
> Hopefully you guys enjoyed, and will enjoy more if I write more <3 
> 
> Like how Venom is the name Eddie/Symbiote use for both of them, The King is the name Viren/Harrow use.


End file.
